In a heart-wrenching finale at Japan's premier long-distance relay race, the Hakone Ekiden, Waseda University has narrowly missed securing top spot — falling short by just 17 seconds. This event, held annually in early January, takes a broad toll on university athletes. This year was no exception, with Waseda's athletes giving everything they had until the finish line.

The Hakone Ekiden is one of the most prominent sporting events in Japan. It engrosses the entire nation, cutting across various strata of society. Despite being a university-level sporting event, it's near-par with professional athletics in terms of attention and expectations. The sense of community support and unity this race brings is unparalleled, and outcomes often impact the pride and reputation of the participating universities.

University-level sports often draw significant attention in the US too — March Madness (college basketball) or the College Football Playoff, for example. However, the Hakone Ekiden stands out because of its wide-scale national engagement, somewhat akin to the "Super Bowl" fervor in the US. The major difference lies in the focus; while American attentiveness is largely towards team sports, the Hakone Ekiden, a marathon race, underscores the importance of individual endurance and teamwork for Japanese audiences.